Category: FORGIVENESS

Today, I had to take nine year old students from school, to Reconciliation to confess their sins to a priest. Many people nowadays, think that this is just not in keeping with the times, that it’s irrelevant and that it’s a waste of time.

Why do Catholics confess their sins to a priest, rather than going directly to God?
In James 5:16, God, through Sacred Scripture, commands us to “confess our sins to one another.” Notice, Scripture does not say confess your sins straight to God and only to God — it says confess your sins to one another.

In Matthew, chapter 9, verse 6, Jesus tells us that He was given authority on earth to forgive sins. And then Scripture proceeds to tell us, in verse 8, that this authority was given to “men”…plural.

The Bible tells us to confess our sins to one another. It also tells us that God gave men the authority on Earth to forgive sins. Jesus sends out His disciples with the authority on earth to forgive sins. When Catholics confess their sins to a priest, they are simply following the plan laid down by Jesus Christ. He forgives sins through the priest…it is God’s power, but He exercises that power through the ministry of the priest.

Funny, because my students didn’t question Why? What? How? They were just a little nervous and anxious about telling their sins to a priest. But once I reassured them that God knows what’s in their heart, that God understands and knows everything about each and everyone of them, that if they forget their sins, God knows them all intimately anyway, they then calmed down. They knew they could do it.

It was so gentle, quiet liturgical music playing in the background, students sitting and reading while waiting for their turn and then stepping up onto the altar, one at a time to sit with the priest side by side, just like having a conversation.

They sat and pondered, they sat and prayed, they sat and looked at the icons and images around the church, they knelt and prayed for their penance and they seemed calmer after we got back to class.

Reconciliation is a gift from God. We should all embrace it and practice it because Jesus came to preach the message of love, forgiveness, healing, reconciliation, new life and fullness of life for every person. Jesus came to preach and to bring it about again not through violence, not through power, not through armies, not through war, but through forgiveness and love.

One might say that the students are too young. Wouldn’t you say that children should understand their actions and how they affect others? That their choices can have a huge impact on their family and friends, that in the eyes of God they are accountable? How beautiful is it to receive God’s grace and forgiveness which can bring about healing? How fulfilling is it that we can all offload our bad choices, our sins and our hurts to Jesus and He will take them all away and restore us and help bring peace into our hearts?

Perhaps the benefits outweigh our reluctance towards this forgotten sacrament. Perhaps there may be less anxiety, less stress, sleeplessness, less fear and doubt, because all these do not come from God. That’s what the sacrament of Reconciliation does, it brings God’s light, love, forgiveness, building up of friendships, restoration, healing and peace through His SON Jesus Christ – the ultimate healer.

A heart at peace is a heart at rest. Jesus takes away the pain the others can’t reach!

Reconciling because reconciliation takes two people, the injured party can forgive an offender without reconciliation.

Dismissing, forgiveness involves taking the offence seriously, not passing it off as inconsequential or insignificant.

Pardoning because to grant a pardon is a legal transaction which releases an offender from the consequences of an action, such as a penalty. Forgiveness is a personal transaction that releases the offender from the offence.

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FORGIVENESS AND REPENTANCE CAN BE YOUR BEST FRIENDS. THERE ARE MANY BLOCKAGES TO INNER HEALING, TWO OF THOSE ARE UNFORGIVENESS & UNREPENTANCE

Peter asked Jesus how many times should he forgive his brother. Peter thought maybe seven times might be a fair limit. But Jesus said“seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22). Of course Jesus didn’t mean literally 490 times, but rather that the number of times are not to be counted.

We all know how hard it is to forgive, especially when the scars run deep. But that unforgiveness and unrepentance of your own sins, can really hold you back from receiving God’s grace.

YOU CANNOT MAKE ANOTHER PERSON RECONCILE TO YOU Being angry is not a sin, it’s what you do that makes the difference.

FORGIVENESS doesn’t mean you have to continue the friendship with the person who has hurt you

FORGIVENESS doesn’t mean reconciliation, reconciliation takes two people, but the injured party can forgive an offender without reconciliation.

FORGIVENESS doesn’t mean dismissing the bad behaviour, one cannot pass it off as inconsequential or insignificant

FORGIVENESS doesn’t mean a pardon, a pardon is a legal transaction which releases an offender from the consequences of an action, such as a penalty. Forgiveness is a personal transaction that releases the one offended from the offence. So forgive and then forgive again, give them (the offender..s) ) to God, let Him deal with the hurt so that you may be free. If you are holding on to hurts, they may be manifesting themselves in spiritual and physical ways, such as sleeplessness, headaches, distrusting innocent people, not wanting to be social or make new friends. Pray to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit to give you the strength to move on.SEE WITH JESUS’ EYES, ASK JESUS TO GIVE YOU A NEW REVELATION ENABLING YOU TO SEE ( offender) AND THE SITUATION THROUGH HIS EYES. PRAYERS

Lord please release me from all effects of emotional and spiritual hurts I have received and from the effects of my own reactions to them.

Prayer is your greatest weapon for spiritual healing, but there are blockages that can prevent the healing power of God. These are:-

UNFORGIVENESS

UNREPENTANCE

UNBELIEF

IGNORANCE

CURSES

OCCULT

FREEMASONRY Some common signs a curse maybe in operation in your life or your families: – -Repeated or chronic sickness (especially if hereditary)
– Continual financial poverty (especially when you make enough money)
– Family history of divorce or relationship problems
– Mental and emotional breakdowns
– Family members dying young or from unnatural causes including suicide
– Being accident prone
– Repeated miscarriages or female problems By Mark Francis